verizon

All-aluminum Nokia Lumia rumored for Verizon next month

Verizon will start selling an all-metal Nokia Lumia 920 variant in April, the Nokia Lumia 928, according to The Verge.

The aluminum-body Lumia 928 would rise up as Verizon's marquee Windows Phone 8 device, larger and with more absolute features than the HTC Windows Phone 8 competitor, and with a fancier finish than the Lumia 822.

In addition to the all-metal finish versus the polycarbonate material that Nokia's been favoring for the Lumia line, the Lumia 928 could also come with a xenon and LED camera flash and have a lighter, slimmer build.

Nokia declined to comment.

Out … Read more

Netflix reveals the speeds of top ISPs around the world

Is your Internet provider as fast as its rivals? A new Netflix page could provide the answer.

Launched today, the site's ISP Speed Index page displays the performance of certain ISPs in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. As such, it doesn't cover the entire world but simply those countries where Netflix is available.

In the U.S., Google Fiber took the top spot with an average speed of 3.35 megabits per second. Cablevision's Optimum service was No. 2 with a speed of 2.35Mbps, followed by Suddenlink, Cox, … Read more

AT&T outshines Verizon in 4G LTE speed tests

AT&T may not have the largest 4G LTE network but it has the fastest, at least according to new data from Root Metrics.

Among the top four U.S. mobile carriers measured by Root Metrics, AT&T took the top spot with an average LTE-only download speed of 18.6 megabits per second and an average upload speed of 9Mbps. Its maximum download speed averaged 57.7Mbps, while its fastest upload speed averaged 19.6Mbps.

Root's researchers were able to connect to AT&T's LTE network 81.7 percent of the time, a rate … Read more

Verizon explores merger with Vodafone, report says

Verizon and Vodafone want to square away their long-standing relationship -- tied together by Verizon Wireless -- this year, according a report from Bloomberg.

Verizon Wireless, which is jointly owned by Verizon and Vodafone, has long been a source of questions over when the two telco giants would resolve the arrangement. Verizon has for years sought to buy out Vodafone's stake in Verizon Wireless, while Vodafone has agitated for a better return from the fast-growing asset.

Verizon and Vodafone now are exploring a range of options, from ending the joint venture to merging the two companies. The two have … Read more

Verizon to sell Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Thursday for $600

The LTE version of Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 will be available at Verizon Wireless this week, expanding the Korean electronics giant's reach with its tablet.

The device will hit online and in Verizon stores Thursday and will cost $599.99 for 16GB of internal flash storage. That compares to the retail price for Wi-Fi-only versions of $499.99 for 16GB or $549.99 for 32GB.

Verizon customers can use the device on a prepaid plan or connect it to a "Share Everything" plan, Verizon said. They can add or remove the Galaxy Note 10.1 … Read more

Verizon hints at LTE-only phones in 2014 to lower subsidies

Verizon Wireless' shift to voice over LTE may ultimately usher in fundamental changes in the carrier's handsets and sales strategies.

Verizon, which revealed plans late last year to launch voice over LTE services by early 2014, could begin selling LTE-only phones as early as next year, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said today at Deutsche Bank's Media, Internet, and Telecom conference. Shammo said the transition to "pure LTE" handsets -- handsets that lack CDMA chips -- would result in lower costs and subsidies for customers.

"We will ultimately get to voice over LTE, probably end of … Read more

Sprint rolls out 4G LTE to nine more markets

Sprint has added nine cities to its burgeoning 4G LTE network.

The carrier said today that it launched LTE coverage for Altoona, Pa.; Asheville and Statesville, N.C.; Columbus and Elkhart/Goshen, Ind.; Hammond, La.; La Crosse, Wis.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Temple, Texas.

In addition, Sprint expanded its LTE network in four cities in Puerto Rico: San German, Yauco, Salinas, and Santa Isabel.

The nine new markets follow news that Sprint turned on LTE last month for certain areas of San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Bob Azzi, Sprint's senior vice president for Network, said … Read more

Nokia Lumia 822 software update adds messaging features

Nokia Lumia 822 owners can expect a small gift from Finland today. An over-the-air software update began rolling out to the Verizon Wireless Windows Phone 8 device at 1 p.m. ET.

New features in the update include improved performance for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and support for more microSD card brands. You'll also gain the ability to select an MP3 file as a ringtone, edit a multimedia message when forwarding, select multiple recipients for a message (yes!), and ignore calls with a text message reply.

A slightly downgraded Nokia Lumia 920, the Lumia 822 is one of three Windows … Read more

Verizon lines up global 4G LTE roaming partners for 2014

BARCELONA, Spain--Verizon Wireless plans to have several international 4G LTE roaming partners lined up by 2014, CNET has learned.

Executives from the wireless carrier, which boasts the world's largest LTE network, are in town to discuss potential roaming agreements, according to a company representative.

The first roaming partnerships will be announced in 2014. At least one Canadian company will be in the first wave of carriers, the representative said.

The move will allow Verizon customers to go overseas and still get a consistent high-speed wireless connection. The company has roaming deals for voice and some data services in 220 … Read more